Yūko's Shop
Yuko's Shop '(in xxxHolic) is the place where most of the storyline develops. This place also works as a residence to Yuko Ichihara. People residing the shop include: Yuko, Maru and Moro, Larg (Black Mokona) and Watanuki. In ''Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, it is the place where Sakura, Syaoran, Kurogane and Fay meet for the first time. The shop located in Tokyo, modern day Japan (According to CLAMP's Universe, other mangas developed in the same world/time would be Suki. Dakara Suki, Lawful Drug, Kobato and possibly CardCaptor Sakura.) The store offers to grant wishes in exchange for a payment equal in value to the wish, it is a kind of reference point through worlds, which traditional design contrasts with the modern architecture of the contemporary buildings of the XXI century. However, this residence can only be seen by those who need help or by spirits and monsters of all kinds, especially the bad ones, as the house is protected by a kekkai, ie a spiritual barrier, which keeps these spirits away. xxxHOLiC manga volume 1, chapter 1. In the eyes of those who do not have a deep desire for something, they will only see an abandoned empty field among other buildings adjacent to the property. xxxHOLiC manga, volume 8. The presence of Yūko at the shop takes on a ghostly touch since it can always be seen the smoke of incense lit (both in the manga and anime), as well as the smoke from her kiseru, thereby showing the personal touch of the witch to the place. The house is a shop where it occurs - converge - the inevitable, which is the fact of entering at the most desperate moment in life to ask for a wish and give in return -this is one of the most attractive points of xxxHOLiC series- something of equal value. "Nothing more, nothing less" as the rule says, which in most cases turns out to be the most valuable thing a person possesses. The stories take on a tinge of psychological terror in the plot, usually with a final dialogue or monologue of Yūko about the theme of the chapter. The objects found there are not strange to Yuko, who knows their origin and the person they are intended for, but never says so; she doesn't reveal her true intentions waiting for the inevitable to happen. The shop's existence is connected both to the fates of the characters in xxxHolic and Tsubasa. As Tsubasa's story advances, Yūko and Mokona see that the shop's wards are weakening. In chapter 157(xxxHolic), the wards of the shop collapse, revealing the shop completely. It is most likely this event which makes it possible for Fei Wong Reed to attack Yūko in chapter 183 of Tsubasa RESERvoir CHRoNiCLE. In chapter 167 (xxxHolic) the shop itself dissolves, but the Storage Room is unaffected, which leaves Yuko a chance to continue her plan. It should be noted that Yuko stated that this shop was especially created for one purpose; "for the day which has to come" which was later revealed in Tsubasa-RC- to be the day when the Clones would have to be revived, because Yuko paid Sakura's new life with all the items she kept in the Storage Room; while Syaoran's new life was paid with Clow Reed's magic. Also because this is the room where she kept the tube containing Sakura and Syaoran Li, who she releases in the final arc of Tsubasa -RC-. When Yuko dies, Watanuki decides to take over as the Owner, until he meets Yuko again. At first, when Watanuki took on his new role, he had trouble finding out the balance for the wishes, thus, he was hurt in the process. However, 10 years later he seems to understand the rules involving granting wishes, and he is hurt no longer. Employer and Employees In xxxHOLiC, Yuko is the Owner of this shop and specialized as we've seen, in granting wishes. However, Watanuki now has taken over in xxxHOLiC Rou. Like Yuko Watanuki's age has been stopped but, Watanuki cannot go outdoors while Yuko could. '''Employer (shop owner): *Yūko Ichihara (Former) *Kimihiro Watanuki (Current) Employees: *Kimihiro Watanuki (Former Errand Boy) *Shizuka Dōmeki (PartTime Errand - Former and Current) Helpers: *Maru and Moro *Mokona Modoki (Larg) Customers *The Lying Lady - Rin *The Troubled Housewife - Hana-Hana *The Folklore Student - Nanami *The Twins - Sakurako and Kaoruko *The Photo Woman - Yuri *The Exorcised Girl - Kayano *The Cooking Lady - Unknown *The Cheating Girl - Unknown History Artifacts Many of the items in the Storage Room include items from other CLAMP works: *The High Moon vase ''from 'Gohou Drug, which she claims she acquired from the "anything goes" store (but Watanuki thinks she stole it). *''Sakura's staff ''from ''Cardcaptor Sakura'', which she reveals to be just a replica of the original. She also posseses the real Staff, which was used as a payment for Tsubasa Li's travel. *A stuffed toy resembling Kero. *She also has Fay's tattoo and magical staff, Kurogane's Ginryuu (Silver Dragon) sword, the clothes worn initially by Syaoran, Sakura, Fay, and Kurogane. *Both Watanuki's and Clone Sakura's memories. *Sakura's bag from Cardcaptor Sakura, which Yuko gave to Watanuki in Chapter 005. *''Ear headphones resembling the persocom ears in Chobits. *Hikaru's ''sword from Magic Knights Rayearth. *A bird cage containing birds similar to the birds in ''Clover''' which can only be seen in the light of a full moon. It was later given to the Kitsune family. *When delivering the birds similar to Clover, the man who got the birds have the same insignia of Fei Wong Reed. *Twelve jars of pure water taken from a well at a mansion. *Glasses resembling Clow Reed's ''(Cardcaptor Sakura) *Other xxxHolic items used in the storyline were the Monkey's Paw, a red aluminium bat inscribed with the characters for "Zantetsuken" (Japanese for "Executioner's Sword" and a reference to Lupin III), used to cut through a woman's laptop computer and for beating a carpet with a living butterfly pattern, a picture frame that contained the moving picture, the ring used for a girl with a bad lying habit, swords given as payment by Ashura in the Tsubasa group and xxxHolic crossover, and another picture frame that has an Akari image in it. There's also the most important item: the tube/capsule that Yuko used to keep Sakura and Syaoran Li. This item is a world in its own. Another identical tube that Yuko owns was used to keep Sakura's soul (Dream World) where it goes to after Infinty, to avoid being stabbed by Fye. References Category:Content Category:Article stubs Category:Locations Category:Locations